You Will Be Safe in My Arms
by Tiffany627
Summary: Damon Salvatore, a newly recruited FBI agent goes on his first mission:raiding a human trafficking facility. Little does he know that he will find a beautiful, damaged young girl there, Elena Gilbert. Will Damon be able to mend Elena's damaged soul? Rated M (dark themes): Scenes of adult content, violence, rape, and abuse… NOT SUITED FOR EVERYONE.
1. Pain

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing of the Vampire Diaries, however, I would love to own my own Salvatore brother… Preferably Damon :) Enjoy!

Pain - Three Days Grace

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1. Pain

*Elena POV*

_More_, I thought. I need more. My eyes were tearing up, my head was pounding, I couldn't feel my legs. I heard footsteps, but I couldn't tell whether they were far away or close. I looked around my room to see if I can find any of _it_. When I got up from my bed, it hit me like a thousand needles. God, my head was pounding. It felt like a million cars were piled on top of me. I started shaking. I need more and I need it now. I crawled back on top of my bed having no more strength to stand up. I've been through this countless times, but it hurts more and more each time I endure it. The footsteps were getting louder… I think. He's coming. I don't know whether to be afraid or happy. The curtains to my room were opened abruptly.

"Looking for this?" He said with his thick Russian accent. I looked up and I saw his short, stubby figure. His face was full of white scruff and his eyes looked almost black. While inspecting his body, I saw something clutched in his hand. I found the strength somewhere within me and charged toward him with all my might. "Ah ah ah," he chuckled while holding the needle just out of my reach.

"Please," I cried. "I'll do anything."

"Of course you will do anything. You are my property," he responded.

"Please Vlad," I cried trying to get the needle out of his grip. I felt his hands go to my chest and he pushed me onto my bed… _Hard_. The air was knocked out of me and I found myself coughing and gasping for air. Vlad left my room and I felt weak and defeated. "Please!" I called, not even knowing I was screaming. I laid on my tattered sheets for what seemed like a lifetime. I closed my eyes trying to distract myself from the pain. I was on the verge of sleep until I heard my curtains open again. I saw Vlad, but he was not alone. He was accompanied by a man probably in his mid fifties. He was wearing what looked like an expensive black suit and a Rolex watch. I further investigated the man and saw a golden ring on his ring finger.

"What about this girl?" he asked the man beside him. I felt embarrassed and tried covering my body due to the fact that I only had a bra and underwear on. He stared at me for quite sometime before he finally spoke.

"She will have to do. I only have about an hour because I'm on my lunch break, but I can afford to be a little late," he said with a clear American accent as he wore a disgusting grin.

"Okay. That will be 500 dollars, sir. She is one of our most beautiful girls here, so we raise price a little." Vlad informed him with his deep Russian accent. The older man reached in his back pocket and took out his wallet. He opened it, took out five bills, and handed them to Vlad. The Russian happily received the money while sticking out his other hand for a handshake. The older man took his hand and shook it firmly. "If you would like, there is a bathroom across the hall so you can... uh... Prepare yourself," Vlad informed the old man. The man exited my room and started toward the bathroom.

"Please Vlad, I'll be good. Please don't make me do this." I begged him.

"You have no choice. How else do you expect me to make money?" He told me with a nasty smile.

"You can't make me do it. I won't let you." The words just slipped out of my mouth. Suddenly, my body was overwhelmed with anger.

"I can make you do anything as long as I have this," Vlad replied as he took the needle out of his pocket and held it next to his face. I froze just staring at the needle. I stared at the yellow liquid craving the effect it had on me. In an instant, all my pain began rushing back to the surface. My head was pounding just looking at the heroin in Vlad's hand. "So how about it. I'll give you a hit, if you do as I say." I felt sick. Not because I was withdrawing from heroin, but because I was actually considering trading my body for just a small dose.

"I'll do it," I said softly just above a whisper. He threw the needle at the floor and smiled.

"Good girl. If you satisfy him, I will give you bigger reward." Vlad said as he left my room. I grabbed the needle from the floor and took a belt that a former 'client' probably left behind. I wrapped the belt around my bicep and saw a vein emerge from my skin. I drove the needle in my arm and slowly began to release the yellow liquid into myself. I immediately felt the drug affect my body. I laid my back on the bed and closed my eyes. I began hallucinating and seeing the things I desired most in life.

_"Jeremy! Come downstairs! Breakfast is ready!" I yelled from the bottom of the staircase. I went back to the kitchen and saw mom setting up the table while dad flipped the pancakes. I took my seat and everything felt perfect. I was with the people I loved most in life. "Honey! Honey!" I heard my dad call._

I awoke from my hallucination. "Honey!" I heard a familiar voice say. I sat up and saw the man that was with Vlad earlier enter my room. I laid on my back once again and tried to go back to my hallucination, but I failed.

"Just do what you have to do," I told the man as I began to feel tears streaming down the sides of my face. I felt the man advance on me and suddenly he was on top of me. I closed my eyes trying to shield myself from his appalling appearance. I felt his face getting closer to mine and I knew he was going to try and kiss me. I turned my face to the side to avoid it. I never let anyone kiss me. Kissing was something you were supposed to do when you had feelings for someone. In reality, sex is just sex. You don't really need to have feelings for someone to have sex. However, instead of this man trying to kiss me, he pressed his rough, dry lips to my ear.

"Open your eyes, honey. I want to see them when I fuck you," he whispered to me. When hearing these words, I felt my stomach churn. Men never seized to disgust me. I refused his orders because I was like that. I was stubborn and I always have been, even before I got trapped in this place. "I said to fucking open them!" He yelled at me as he slapped me across the face. My eyes jerked open, not to obey him, but to let the tears of pain stream down my cheeks. "Good," he said in a low voice. He raised himself off of my bed and stood up. "Since I'm limited on time, I have to fuck you half naked," he said while unbuckling his belt. I watched him fingering his pants until they completely dropped and he stepped out of them. I looked away the moment he pulled down his briefs to avoid seeing his manhood. He resumed his place on top of me and I knew what was about to happen. I couldn't stop the tears escaping my eyes. He forced his head between my neck and shoulder. I felt his rough hands move between us and I felt him clawing at my panties. Once he got them off, I felt the tip of him at my entrance. The tears were burning my eyes. Suddenly, I felt him thrust inside me. I let out a whimper and involuntarily arched my chest upward. He took no time at all and he began moving inside me ferociously. I felt nothing but pain. Although this is not my first time doing this, it hurt badly. I was not only in physical pain but I was experiencing all kinds of pain. I did not want to do this. I don't want to be a sex slave. I wanted a life. I wanted to finish school, I wanted to go to college, I wanted to get married, to have a family, to have someone to die happy with, but instead I get this. I started to cry more as this man began to move harder and faster inside me. _I'll make it through this. I always do._ I looked up at the ceiling and picked a spot to stare at while the man finishes with me. I heard a low groan escape his throat as he reached his climax. His pace was slowing down and he withdrew himself from me quickly. The man collected his clothing and began dressing in front of me. "Thank you," he said, while sliding the curtains and leaving my room. I got up from my bed and rushed toward the corner of the room to a bucket that I used for my waste. I was dry heaving into the bucket until something eventually came out of my mouth. I laid on the cement for a while and saw my panties on the floor. I quickly retrieved them and put them back on. I laid back on my bed trying to get some rest and prepare myself for the next day.

***DE***

I probably was asleep for two hours until I heard Vlad's loud voice outside my room. "What do you mean they're coming? Who is coming?" I could only assume that he was yelling at his guards.  
"I don't know! Our inside source was warning me to tell you that **_they're_** coming!" I heard an unfamiliar Russian voice say.  
"We must be quick. Take a few girls and load them in the truck. We have to leave now." I suddenly heard the sound of curtains sliding and girls screaming. I had no idea what was going on. I peeked outside my curtain and I saw Vlad's guards gathering as many girls as they can. Instinctively, I came up with a plan to escape. I watched as one guard walked through the hall to a room across from mine. He took the girl by the hair and began dragging her away. I looked to both sides and I ran to the room across from me and tried to find a hiding spot in there. I left the curtains open to make the guards think that someone has already taken the girl occupying that room. I heard footsteps coming near and I saw the shadow of two guards about to pass the room I was in. I held my breath fearing that the guard would hear me. He was going to enter the room I was in. I began silently crying. _I really am going to spend my life as a sex slave_. I saw his shadow at the door but he did not enter.

"I cleared that one already. Get the girls with their curtains closed," I heard someone say. The guard's shadow began to move away and I let out a quiet sigh of relief. After a while, the building was so quiet. Dead silent. Everyone was gone, but I remained in the room not knowing what to do. I stood there for about an hour until I felt my legs giving in. I fell hard to the floor and I was slipping out of consciousness. I heard sirens outside, but I knew that it was just the heroin playing tricks on my mind... Or was it?

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**End of chapter 1. Hi, my name is Tiffany and I am a die-hard Delena fan. This is my first fan fiction and I'm a little skeptical due to the controversial topic. However, I hope you enjoy my fan fic and I hope you leave your honest reviews! Feel free to follow me on twitter: DelenaFamilyTVD :) **

**Oh how I hate hiatus...**


	2. Salvation

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing… Enjoy!

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2. Salvation

*Damon POV*

My hands gripped the wheel in front of me. I was nervous. Why the hell am I nervous? I'm one of the most confident people I know. My douche of a best friend sitting beside me had to make matters worse.

"Hey Damon, good luck in there. I'll pray that you won't piss in your pants," he said while cracking up at his own terrible joke.

"Shut up, Ric. This is serious. Don't fuck this up for me." Ric has been on plenty of missions, but this is my first one. We were driving to an abandoned warehouse in the slums of New York City. I don't remember exactly what we were going there for. I forgot because I couldn't help but get excited over my first mission. While driving, I saw women at every corner trying to sell themselves, men huddled up in alleys obviously making drug deals, and homeless people roaming all over the streets. Despite the fact that we were witnessing crimes in front of our eyes, we ignored it fearing we would lose sight of our mission. I saw a fellow FBI car pull into a driveway and I reluctantly followed it.

We're here? Already?

I felt my stomach tighten and my palms became cold and sweaty. No, I worked too damn hard for this. I stepped out of the car and saw agents wearing their bullet proof vests and FBI jackets over. I wore the same thing and damn, did I feel badass. I pulled the gun out of my holster that was wrapped around my waist. I gripped my black pistol with both hands and aimed it to the floor. I heard the lead agent call my name. Well... The nickname everyone called me.

"Hey Rookie! Wanna lead this one?" I looked at the lead agent who had short, blonde, straight hair, wore grey slacks and.. heels? Are those heels? What the fuck? Who wears heals on a mission?

"Agent Forbes," I say confident and smoothly. "It would be an honor to lead this raid," I finished off saying while bowing my head to her as if she were royalty. I did that a lot. I would use my charm and amazingly good looks to compel people into doing what I wanted, but on the inside I was screaming. What the hell did I agree to? What if I suck at being an agent? Even worse... What if... What if I get shot? I push that aside from my mind while Agent Forbes was giving us directions. In a group of about ten agents, we split into two teams of five. Me, Ric, the lead agent, Elizabeth Forbes, and two other agents were assigned to infiltrate the the building while the remaining five stood behind us just in case there was an ambush. Our team of five began walking around the building to find any kind of entrance. Since I was leading, I was ahead of everybody and I was scared as hell.

"Hey, don't sweat it buddy. I'm right behind you," I heard Ric whisper to me. As much as he pissed me off at times, Ric was a good friend and a hell of a drinking buddy. After a few minutes of walking, we stumbled upon a green, rusty door on the side of the building. The five of us gathered around taking cover in various locations surrounding the door. At the moment, I had no idea what was surging through my head, but I felt bold. I took a few steps back from the door and jogged up to it ready to break it down. _Here we go_. My foot hit the door as it slammed loudly on the concrete floor inside of the building.

"Freeze! FBI!" I yelled while running and taking cover behind a storage bin inside. A few minutes passed before I heard footsteps echoing through the building.

"Nice try, asshole, but the warehouse is empty. Oh yeah, the door was unlocked too," I heard as Ric made his way into the building. I felt a burning sensation in my cheeks as I came out from behind the storage bin. I looked around and it was indeed empty. Fuck, I made a complete fool out of myself. I just walked away nonchalantly trying to preserve my badass look.

"We're too late. Let's do a final sweep before we leave," Liz ordered, but her tone sounded defeated. I kept my gun out and aimed it toward the floor. While going through the warehouse, I saw a long hall with curtains set up in front of each room. I went over to clear a room and I saw a bed with ripped, dirty sheets, a bucket that smelled vile, and... Condoms. I felt sick. I remember what this place is. It's a human trafficking facility. How could I have forgotten? I felt like a complete asshole. I continued down the hall clearing more rooms and was not surprised to see the same thing every time. As I approached another room to clear, I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a girl lying on the floor. She was wearing only her bra and underwear, her skin was stained with dirt, and her long brown hair covered her face.

"Hey! We need some help over here!" I called to the agents in hopes that they heard me. I bent down to see if she was still alive. I lifted her up off the ground and onto me so that her head was resting on my arm and her torso on my lap. I was relieved to see her chest moving and feel her breathing. I looked at her closely and saw injection holes in her arm. I felt bad for this girl knowing the kinds of things she went through. I lifted her up as I stood and laid her on the bed nearby. I stood next to her and I noticed that none of the agents came to check on me. "Ric! Liz! Get your asses over here! I said I needed help!" I yelled from outside the room. I returned to the girl and sat next to her on the bed. I didn't noticed it at first because I wasn't looking at her face. For being in a hellhole like this, she was beautiful. She had soft features with olive skin, long eyelashes, and plump, pink lips. I further saw that she was still exposed so I took off my jacket and covered her body with it. Looking at her mesmerizingly beautiful face again, I stroked a stray strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. I was partially shocked when I saw her eyes dart open. She sat up from her bed and pushed me against my chest.

"Don't touch me!" She yelled after pushing. The force caused me to stand up. I saw her curl into a fetal position and she began crying. "Who are you? What are you going to do with me?" she asked me with a quiver in her voice that made her sound terrified.

"My name is Damon. I'm with the FBI," I said calmly while showing her my badge. "I'm not gonna hurt you." I saw her relax a little, but still saw caution in her brown, doe eyes. I took my jacket that had fallen to the floor and I stepped toward her. "Do you want to wear my jacket? It's kind of cold in here." I came even closer to her and flung my arms around her to put the jacket on her shoulders. I saw her flinch while doing this, and felt that she did not trust me. I took a few steps back as the young girl put her arms through the sleeves of my jacket.

Damn it! Where was everyone? If they don't come to me, I guess I have to come to them_._

I moved toward the girl on the bed. "Hey, let's get you out of here. You will be safe with us. We'll protect you." I tried to put my hand on her arm, but she quickly pulled it out of reach.

"I said for you to not touch me!" she yelled at me while getting off of the bed to run away. As soon as the girl's delicate feet touched the floor, she began to collapse to the ground. Instinctively, I dove toward her and caught her in my arms. She still had her feet dangling on the floor while she struggled against me. She was scratching at my shirt, punching my chest, and kicking her feet wildly. "Let go of me! I said let me go! Please let go…" she yelled, but soon began to lose her strength.

"Hey, hey, hey. I know you don't want me to hold on to you, but if I let go, you're gonna fall to the floor," I tried to reason with her as she fought me with all of the power she had left. Slowly, her movements weakened and I felt her slowly lose consciousness. I saw the hot tears streaming down her face, and all I felt was sorrow and sympathy for the damaged girl. As she was passing out she whispered something to me. I couldn't quite make it out at first, but then I realized that she was begging.

"Please… Please don't hurt me."

"I'm not going to hurt you," I replied while lowering an arm to the back of her knees and completely lifting her up off the ground. "Everything is going to be alright. You are going to be alright." She closed her eyes and I felt her stiff body relax into mine. I carried her out of the room, bridal style, and began making my out of the warehouse. I heard a high-pitched, annoying laugh from outside. I exited the building and felt overwhelmed with anger at the sight of my co-workers taking a siesta. "Thanks for the help guys," I muttered while passing by them.

Ric rushed to walk next to me as he said, "What the hell happened?"

"While you guys were busy taking a lunch break in the middle of a sweep, I found this poor girl lying on the floor, looking like she was on the verge of death," I said with a sarcastic smile. We stopped walking when we reached my car. "Open the door will you? Make yourself useful, since you did jack shit," I cruelly said to my best friend.

"Look, I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to-" Ric began.

"It's okay," I said to him, forgiving him instantly because he was my closest and only friend. "What's gonna happen to her," I asked Ric while putting the delicate girl into my backseat.

"Well, first, we have to get her to the hospital. They'll need to do a check up, X-ray, test for STDs, all sorts of things. After that, we will try to locate her family and return her to them."

"What if she doesn't have a family?" I asked Ric curiously. He looked at me strangely before he gave his response.

"If, worse comes to worst, then she will just be released," Ric informed me with a sigh.

"What do you mean by _released_?"

"Uhhh… do you know what released means?" All of a sudden I got pissed again.

"Nevermind," I sighed while walking away from him. "I get your point." I was getting into my car and heard Ric call out to me again.

"Damon!" I looked to him while starting my engine. "Why do you even care?" I ignored him and drove to the nearest hospital, but the question was still echoing in my head.

Why did I care?

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**Wow! All I need to say is; THANK YOU! I got some really good feedback and I was inspired to write another chapter! I started last night and stayed up until four in the morning trying to finish! I hope you liked my introduction to Damon and the beginning of Delena. There is still more to come. Please review this chapter and give me your honest opinions. Once again THANK YOU! :)**

***SPOILER ALERT* **It will get worse before it gets better.


	3. Safety

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing, however, I would LOVE to own Damon… Enjoy!

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3. Safety

*Elena POV*

I felt a cool rush of air and strong arms around me. Everything was dark and I was terrified. As much as I wanted to move and try to escape, I couldn't.

"Can we get some help over here?" I heard a familiar, low voice say.

Where am I? What was he going to do to me? Is he going to do what the other men come to see me for?

I found the energy somewhere within me and I opened my eyes. I was blinded by bright, white fluorescent lights. I was ready to fight and break free from his grasp, but I didn't once I saw his face. I looked up to see deep blue eyes and strong jaw. His face was something I have never seen before. He must have noticed that I was awake because he looked down to me and smiled.

"Hi," he spoke softly. "We're at a hospital. They're gonna take care of you." I looked at my surroundings and from a distance, I saw a woman approach us with a rolling bed.

"You can lay her on here. We will bring her up to a room and perform a check up and a series of tests," she said as she prepared the bed for me to lay on. He was about to put me down, but I shocked both the man and myself when I clutched onto his arms . His gaze once again met mine and he began to comfort me.

"It's okay," he whispered. "No one is going to hurt you. They're going to help you." I let go of his arms slowly as he laid me down. The woman who brought the bed began to roll me away and I watched the man get further and further from me. I forgot how tired and exhausted I was, so I relaxed with my back on the bed and fell into a deep slumber.

***DE***

_I was in a dark, hot room. My hair was clinging to my neck due to the sweat dripping down my face. I tried to get up, but my arms and legs were tied up to what seemed like a four-post bed. I fought hard to break free, but the harder I tried, the more pain I felt in my wrist and ankles. I heard a door open and close, but I saw nothing in the darkness that surrounded me._

_"Hello, beautiful," I heard a low, rough voice speak in a heavy Russian accent. I lifted my neck up from the bed to see who spoke, but still saw nothing._

_"Where am I? What do you want from me? Where's my family?" I asked the man who has yet to reveal himself._

_"You're family will be safe as long as you stay here with me," he answered. I felt my stomach clench. What did he mean by, 'as long as you stay here with me?' "You are my property now. I can do to you whatever I desire." I pulled harder on my restraints. It hurt so much, but I had to keep fighting. I began to yell for help until I felt his dry hand clasp over my mouth . "Shhh..." the man hushed me and I suddenly felt great weight rest upon my body. I knew he was on top of me and I dreaded what was about to come next. I continued to scream but my cries were muffled by his hand. I felt his other hand stroke my stomach and I realized I was naked because I felt his hips squeeze between my thighs. I tried to close my legs together, but my restraints kept them spread open. I cringed at his touch, and with one swift thrust, I felt a painful sensation throb within the lower half of my body. He removed his hand from my mouth to stroke my cheek, so I began to yell for help. "Stop!" I screamed. "Please stop! It hurts!" I began crying and tears fell from the sides of my face._

"Stop!" I begged once more. I felt hands gently, but firmly holding onto my shoulders. I tried to shake them off by punching and pushing the body that gripped me. I opened my eyes realizing it was a nightmare, but in reality it was more than that.

"Whoa. Whoa. You're safe. It's okay," I heard him say. I stopped attacking him and he let go of my shoulders. He backed away from me and I observed my surroundings. I was on a hospital bed with blue sheets and white pillow cases. There was an IV in my arm and I was in a hospital gown. There was no one else in the room, but me and him. I looked back at him and noticed that he probably never left the hospital. He still had his bulletproof vest on with a black t-shirt underneath. He wore dark jeans and a worried look on his face. His hair was a blackish-brown and stuck up in many different angles, but it suited him. "How do you feel?" He asked as he sat down in a chair that was in the corner of my room. I felt horrible. My head was pounding, I couldn't feel my legs, and I had a craving. A **_strong_** craving. How long has it been since I had a hit? The sound of blood pumping through my system filled my ears. I was dripping with sweat and my nose wouldn't stop running.

"I need..." I began. I saw the man stand up from the chair. He came closer to hear what I was saying. I saw his expression and he looked worried and uneasy. "I'm fine," I finally decided to say. "What happened?" I asked him, trying to distract myself from my withdrawal pains.

"I found you at the warehouse we were raiding. The building was completely empty, but you somehow escaped." I saw him sit back down. He took out a miniature notepad and pen from his pocket. "Can I ask you what you're name is, so I can stop referring to you as Jane Doe?" He asked me with a warm smile. I had to think about it for a minute. In all the time I was imprisoned, no one asked or even cared about my name. It was the same routine everyday and every hour; Fuck and take a hit, but this time, someone actually cared about who I was.

"My name is Elena. Elena Gilbert," I answered him, looking down at my sheets. I saw that the tags on the sheet were written in English. I looked around the room once more and saw that everything was written in English. A feeling of confusion struck me because I had no idea where I was. "Umm.. Where am I?" I asked the man in the corner.

"We're in a hospital, Elena," he answered sounding very confused. I knew that we were in a hospital, but I didn't know _where_.

"In what country?" I asked him a question once more. I saw him tilt his head and raise his hand to scratch the back of his head.

"We're in the United States, Elena, New York City," he quietly said while looking down to the floor.

"Oh," I muttered under my breath. "I just thought that I was-" I didn't get to finish what I was saying because the doctor came in.

"Hi, my name is Dr. Fell," she said with a smile as she approached the foot of my bed. She was very pretty. She had short brown hair and brown eyes. She turned to the man, whose name I forgot, and I saw her staring at him for a while. The man got up from his chair and reached out his hand to her.

"Damon Salvatore, FBI," he said while the doctor took his hand. I saw Damon let go of her, but the doctor still held on. When she finally released her hold on him, she rummaged through the binder she was carrying in her other hand.

"Okay ma'am, we have your results," she told me as she took out a few sheets from out of her binder. She turned back to Damon and gave him a giant smile. "Are you her family?" She asked him looking overly eager. _Family_. I wondered where my family was. I felt tears well up in my eyes thinking about my mom, dad, and Jeremy. I came back to reality and saw Damon put his hands in his pockets before answering her.

"Well, no, but I did find her so..." He told her while looking at the floor again. I saw her huge smile turn into a frown.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you can't be in here," she said while looking defeated. "This information is confidential and you aren't her family, so I cannot legally have you here."

"Okay," Damon answered her. Damon was about to leave the room completely, but he looked back at me and gave me a smile. I don't know how, but I managed to smile back at him. I haven't smiled in forever, but I somehow smiled at Damon Salvatore.

***DE***

*Damon POV*

"Hey Ric, can you do me favor?" I asked him through my phone.

"Yeah, it depends on what it is. I'm at the office right now and Forbes isn't letting anybody leave because of the raid we did earlier."

"That's perfect. I need you to look up an 'Elena Gilbert' and see of she has any family." I told him while looking through the window to Elena's room. The doctor was rotating her wrists in circles, trying to explain something, and I saw Elena. She looked scared. She was staring at the doctor as she was talking to her, but I saw that she looked confused and terrified. I frowned at the thought that she could have possibly got bad news.

"Damon! Damon, you still there?" Ric said over the phone.

"Yeah, what's up?" I answered him, reassuring that I was still on the phone.

"You should come back to the office, _now_. You need to see this." His tone worried me. I hung up and looked at the girl through the window. I felt angry. What kind of monster would do this to a poor girl like Elena? A scumbag is running around as a free man while this innocent girl is dealt a shit hand. I saw Dr. Fell leave her room and she walked toward me, but I quickly walked passed her and started toward Elena's room. Damn, I know I'm good looking, but this girl was supposed to be professional. Instead, she was being incessant and trying to get into my pants. I flattered myself and brought a smirk to my face. I arrived at Elena's room and put my hand on the cold door knob.

"Hi," I said to Elena as I opened her door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah," she said softly. Her voice sounded a little cracky and she didn't look too well. She was lying on the bed. I saw her sweating, and her eyes looked tired. I glanced to her arm and saw the bruises that the drug injections probably left her. I realized that she was probably going through withdrawals after seeing it first hand a couple of times. I saw her face again and in spite of all of her 'flaws', she still managed to look beautiful... At least I thought so.

I merely took a step into the room after realizing that I have to return to the office shortly. "I have to go, but another agent will be back later to finish the report, okay?" I told her as I turned around to exit her room.

"You will be back though, right?" I faced her again to see that she sat up to looked at me. She had her wavy hair at each side of her face and she looked helpless. I realized that when I'm around her, all I felt was sorrow and her pain. I could have chosen to walk away. I could have chosen to never see her again. I could have chosen to leave her here and never feel her pain anymore. But I didn't.

"Of course, I'll see you later," I told her and I saw _it_ again. I saw her smile and all the pain I felt for her disappeared.

***DE***

"Floor 42," I heard the elevator say as it came to a halt. I stepped out and flashed my badge to the guard by the door. I walked pass him and opened the see-through, glass door. The office was buzzing. Cubicles were set up everywhere, people were talking on the phone, and everybody was running around. I saw Ric trying to solve a rubiks cube while spinning in his chair. I walked over to his cubicle and grabbed a hold on his chair while turning it to face me.

"What did you find?" I asked him sounding embarrassingly eager. He lifted a folder off of his desk and began to hand it to me. He was trying to speak to me, but I quickly snatched the folder from his hand and started to walk away toward my desk.

"Damon," he called while following me to my cubicle. "You're not gonna like what you find in there," he warned while he pointed to the manila folder. "You need to keep yourself detached from the situation. She was a prostitute for goodness sake! You can't-" I felt rage overpower my body at his assumption.

"Just fuck off, Ric. I'm not attached to the situation. And you are a fucking dumbass if you think she was a prostitute. Those... Those _men_ held her captive and forced her to do things that she didn't want to do. Just fucking leave before I rip your head off right here in front of everyone." I shocked myself by the words coming out of my mouth. Even Ric looked stunned.

"Damon I-" he began.

"Just go," I said to him and started going through the folder he gave me. From the corner of my eye, I saw him go back to his desk and he began to solve the cube again. I took out an entire packet from the folder and looked at the first page.

_Elena Gilbert. _

I saw a picture of her and smiled. She looked happy. In the picture, she was significantly younger than when I saw her earlier. I further read, and almost vomitted at the words that followed.

_Declared missing December 21, 2011. _

_Age:16 _

_Kin: None living. _

Missing from December 21, 2011 up until January 4, 2014... She was only sixteen. I did the math in my head. Now she was eighteen. Two years and then some. She spent over 2 years of her life trapped in _that place. _Even worse, she had no one. No family, no one to comfort her after fighting for her life. I felt sick. I quickly shoved the packet back in the folder and hid it in my drawer. I took my phone out of the front pocket of my jeans and checked the time. It was 5:16. Visiting hours at the hospital ended at 7:00. I gathered my belongings and made my way out of the building to see her again.

***DE***

*Elena POV*

I sat in my bed trying to block the agonizing pain I was going through. "Hi, sorry about that," Dr. Fell told me while entering my room once more. "We weren't able to give you a full report earlier, but I assure you, I can give you more information other than you being dehydrated," she said while chuckling. Earlier, Dr. Fell told me that they weren't finished running my blood, so instead, she told me all the minor thinks like: "You have no broken bones," or "You're severely dehydrated." After less than two minutes of her talking to me, I just wanted her to be quiet. That was one of the things I needed at the moment. _Quiet_. I was in so much pain, and it was to the point where it was beginning to become unbearable. She took out a few papers from her binder and looked to me. "Good news. When we tested you for any infections, or uh... STDs, you tested negative for everything," she said while smiling at me. God, I was relieved. I was suspecting bad news after... after what I've been through, and for a split second, my pain subsided, but only for a split second. "However," Dr. Fell began to say. My stomach did flips, but in a bad way. The pain hit me again like a speeding car. "We found traces of heroin in your system," she told me. "Was that what your...your captures kept you on?"

"Yes," I muttered to her while using the back of my hand to wipe sweat from my forehead.

"Have you been experiencing withdrawal symptoms yet?" She asked me softly. I had the feeling that she was trying to comfort me.

"Yes," I said once more. "My head is on fire, I can't feel my legs, I'm sweating like I'm in an oven, and my nose just will not stop running," I said as tears streamed down my face.

"We have great rehab facilities in New York. We can check you in and-" she began to say as she took out a few pamphlets from her binder.

"No!" I yelled, surprising myself. "I'm not going anywhere with you." She moved closer and I saw her hand coming toward me. I backed up all the way to the back of my bed and used my hands to bring my knees to my chest. Dr. Fell quickly pulled her hand back at the sight of my movements.

"Elena," she began to say, but I interrupted her once more.

"I'm not going to rehab!" I yelled at her. My throat felt sore after that. I was in pain, but I refused to go to rehab.

"You have an addiction, Elena. You are going through heroin withdrawals and you need help. Elena, please don't make me call security and force you into rehab against your will."

"I'm not going to rehab, and I don't have an addiction," I said firmly, standing by my choice and opinion. Dr. Fell was typing something in her pager and within a short amount of time, I saw two men wearing uniforms enter my room. They were approaching my bed in unison and they grabbed my arms even though I tried to resist. "Let go of me!" I yelled. I fought, but their grips were tight on me. They were dragging me out of the room and I used my feet to slide across the floor to prevent them from taking me. It was no use. While dragging me to the exit, I saw _him_ enter my room. The security stopped when they saw him at the door.

"What the hell is going on here?" Damon yelled looking to Dr. Fell and then to me. "Let her go," he ordered to the doctor. Dr. Fell threw a nod to the guards and they released me from their dead-tight grip. I collapsed, but I felt his familiar, strong arms catch me again. "Let's go," he said while lifting me off of my feet, _again_.

"Where are we going?" I asked him curiously, trying to mask my fear.

"To my house," he answered carrying me through the halls of the hospital.

* * *

**So guys… How did you feel about this chapter? Did you like it? I hope you did, because it is now 1:47 AM and I was working on this for forever! How do you feel about Delena's relationship as of right now? I want to thank all of you guys who followed, favorited, and reviewed! You guys continue to inspire me to stay up late and wake up early to write this fic. Please continue to review!**

**I apologize for typos, sleep deprivation is not good for proof reading.**


	4. Monsters

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing!

* * *

4. Monsters

*Elena POV*

We were on the road for what? An hour or so? Somehow, this car ride seemed to go on forever. I glanced at the clock on the dashboard.

7:16 PM

Has it really only been twenty minutes since we've left the hospital? It felt more like twenty hours. However, this car ride seemed significantly shorter than the walk from my hospital room to the parking lot. Damon carried me through the hospital and I didn't like it one bit. I couldn't stand the feeling of his hands on me, but I knew I couldn't walk, so I had no choice but to let him carry me. He told me he was taking me to his house... His house. What was he going to do with me there? The idea hit me just now. I looked toward him in the driver's seat while I sat in the back. Damon was focused on the road ahead of him. What does he want from me? He's saved me twice, but I still don't trust him. What am I supposed to do?

The car began to slow down. We were approaching a tall, grey-bricked building that had huge windows plastered on the sides. The building was about thirty stories high with several fire escapes. It looked sleek and modern with a touch of vintage. Damon parked on the side of the road near the entrance to the grand building. He shut off the engine and took his keys out of the ignition. I heard the locks of the car click and I immediately opened the door and got out. I was surprised by the fact that I could actually stand up and manage to take a few steps. I quickly thought about running, but I didn't know where I would go. I looked around the busy street, searching for somewhere to run, but had no luck. Damon got out of his car, and looked toward me. For a moment, I thought he was going run and grab me to... do what men usually did to me, but instead he gave me a warm smile.

"Follow me," he told me while walking toward the building. His actions surprised me. Why was he being so kind? I walked slowly and cautiously behind Damon while following him to the entrance. The building had a see-through, glass double door, and one of those huge, spinning doors. I saw his sculpted back lean forward to put his hand on one of the golden handles of the double doors. The glass door flew open with ease, and Damon held it open for me. I walked in the building and was greeted strangely by an employee standing by the entrance. I wondered why he looked at me like I was crazy, but I soon realized that I was still in my hospital gown. Embarrassed, I quickly walked away. I looked around and I assumed that we were inside the lobby. White marble was laid out on the floor in a unique design and red couches were set up in the middle of the room. Looking up, I saw an elaborate, crystal, chandelier hanging from the high ceiling that gave the room an elegant touch. Damon moved in front of me to approach the front desk located in the back of the lobby. From a distance, I saw Damon making conversation with the female, blonde receptionist. It was obvious that they knew each other and it was also obvious that the woman was attracted to him. I began to walk to the couches to sit, but I saw Damon look back at me. He motioned for me to follow him with his hands, so instead of sitting on the couch, I hesitantly followed. He led us to a room the had several elevators. I saw him push the 'up' button and we waited in silence for an elevator to come. A loud ding emitted from one of the elevators in front of me, and I saw its silver doors slide open. I went inside first, and Damon followed behind me. When I stepped in, I moved to the back corner, so I had a better view of my surroundings. The elevator was simple, yet formal. The floor was a beige marble with mirrors along the top half of the walls, and railing for support. I looked up and...

_Thank God._ I saw a camera. I felt safe, _for a moment_. I looked lower to see buttons on the elevator that read 'Lobby' to 'Floor 30.' There was one stray button with a keyhole next to it that read, 'Penthouse'. I saw Damon's hand go to the stray button to press it. The elevator doors closed, but it didn't move. Damon abruptly reached inside one of his pockets and took out a key. He slid the key into the keyhole and the elevator began to move. I felt the elevator pulling us upward and I gripped the railing. In no time, we were at our destination and the elevator doors opened. I saw Damon get out, but I remained inside of the elevator. I didn't want to leave. I felt safe in this small room. There was a camera so someone would see if anything happened to me. If I stepped out of this elevator, it would be every man for them self, and I didn't want that. I wanted to feel safe. I waited for the elevator doors to close, but Damon noticed my absence and looked back at me. One of his eyebrows were raised and he looked confused.

"You coming?" He asked as he walked out to disappear from my sight. Having no other choice, I walked forward into Damon's penthouse. Looks really can be deceiving. The penthouse was huge. There were dark, hardwood floors and the walls were painted a maroon color. I looked to my right to find a dining room with an elegant, wooden table and matching chairs. To my left was a living room that had a set of white couches. What caught my attention was not the huge TV in the living room, but the background of it. There was a wall of windows that revealed all of New York. Admiring the lights of the city, I hardly noticed Damon standing in front of me.

"So," he began. "What do you think?" He said while sticking both of his arms out and doing a 360 spin. I couldn't lie, it was beyond description, but how was he able to afford this?

"It's... Ummm.. Nice," I said trying to hide my amazement. It was obvious that he was pleased with my answer because of the smile that formed on his face. He began walking away before he spoke to me again. I was so distracted with the beauty of his house, that I didn't understand what he was saying. It was something along the lines of "Are you hungry, because I can cook something for you real quick," but I wasn't too sure. I walked to the wall of windows, close enough to feel the cool air radiate from the glass. The lights were truly beautiful. There were tons of buildings, large and small, but there was one building that caught my eye. It was the tallest of them all and had a large point at the top. It was lit up with colorful lights that were mesmerizing to anyone who laid eyes on it.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I heard Damon's voice behind me. My body jolted and a gasp escaped my throat. I quickly turned around to face him. "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you," he told me with a sincere, apologetic look on his face.

"It's fine," I told him while moving to sit on one of the couches in the living room. I picked a seat that only fit one person to avoid him from coming too close. I saw Damon coming toward me in the living room. He kept his distance, sitting at the far end of the couch next to me. Why was he doing this for me? He didn't have to bring me here. My thoughts were disrupted when I heard his voice.

"Are you okay?" he asked while looking to me. I rotated my body to face him.

"I'm fine," I told him, sounding harsher than I intended to. Questions were flooding my head, and I needed answers, now. There was an awkward silence for a good minute before I broke it. "Damon," I started. "How long am I going to be here for?" I asked curiously. He had the same look on his face every time I spoke. The look of sympathy.

"Technically, you weren't supposed to be released today, but when I saw the way they treated you at the hospital, I-" he paused for a brief moment. "I had to do something," he said while looking down at the floor as if he was embarrassed. "Two, three days tops," he said, answering my question. Three days? A lot can happen in three days, and I was beginning to feel uneasy.

"What will happen after that?" I was curious and need my questions answered. He looked at me and frowned.

"I don't know, Elena," he told me with a sorrowful tone. "You might be placed in one of the FBI's safe houses until we finish our investigation, or you might just be released."

Released? Where will I go? I remembered my family in Mystic Falls. Did I still even have a family? I needed to find them. I stood up from my chair and walked to the elevator. I felt Damon quickly come after me.

"Elena," I heard him call sounding puzzled. When I got to the elevator I pushed the 'down' button repeatedly, hoping the elevator would come faster that way. "Where are you going?" He asked as he came next to me.

"I'm going to find my family," I told him. The elevator door slid open and I began to walk inside until I hit something hard. I backed up and saw Damon's body blocking the door. His arms were on the frames of the elevator door, preventing me to slip past him. "Damon," I said trying to hold back my anger. I backed away from the elevator a little bit more in attempt to contain my rage. I felt myself getting hot with frustration. "Move," I told him with a low voice I never knew I possessed. He stood his ground and didn't move an inch.

"Elena, I'm afraid I can't have you do that," he said softly, almost as a whisper. I was stunned. I stood there looking at him and he looked at me with his eyebrows furrowed. His blue eyes looked serious and concerned. I saw the muscles in his face twitch because he was clenching his jaw.

"Damon, move," I warned him for the last time. He just stood there. What the hell was he doing? Was he planning to hold me prisoner? I drew my arm back and punched him in the chest as hard as I could. The punch affected me more than it affected him. When my fist hit his chest, a sharp pain ran up and down my hand. His chest was hard and hurt my hand upon impact. I looked up and saw Damon, still unmoved. I continued to fight. I tried pushing him, but he still wouldn't budge. He was too strong. "Let me through!" I screamed. "Let me out of here! I need to find my family!" I was losing strength, but I knew I had to keep fighting.

"What's the plan, Elena?" Damon asked, raising his voice. "Are you going to walk to wherever you used to live, because from what I remember at the hospital, you don't even know where you are!" His voice was harsh. I stopped fighting and backed away from him and the elevator to lean against a nearby wall. I wasn't aware of the tears streaming down my face until I saw them drop onto the ground. My back slid against the wall until I hit the wooden floor below me. I put my hands to my face and began crying into my palms. He was right. I didn't have a plan. I was never going to see my family again. I heard the elevator door close, and felt the floor shift. I looked up from my hands and saw his deep, blue eyes. He was crouched so that he was eye level with me. Usually, I would be afraid and look away, but I continued to stare into his eyes the way I stared at that beautiful building in the window.

"We'll find your family," he whispered softly to me. "I'll help you, but you've had a long day and you need your rest." His voice was surprisingly soothing. I realized that I was tired, and I did need rest. I nodded in agreement, and we both stood up. "You stay here and I'll set up a room for you to stay in," he told me while he walked toward the back of the penthouse and disappeared out of sight. I laid down on the large couch in the living room and looked out the window to see the city lights. Shortly, my eyelids began to feel like lead. I tried to pry them open, but instead, I fell into a deep sleep.

***DE***

*Damon POV*

Fuck.

What the hell did I do? I really need to think before I act. Her family is gone, and I made her think that they were alive. I walked through the halls of the house and reached the staircase. I'll never get used to the strange architectural designs in my penthouse, but it looked nice so, I never complained. In total, the house had 3 bedrooms: a master downstairs, and a master and a guest room upstairs. I walked up the spiral steps and went to the second master bedroom. The bedroom was neat. It had a California King bed with white sheets and another huge flat screen. There was also a walk-in closet, and a large bathroom. Damn, this room might even be better that mine. I took a few extra blankets and pillows and put them on the bed. I cleaned up the bathroom a little bit and put out some toiletries and supplies. I did a once over on the room, and started downstairs. It was quiet. A little too quiet.

No. No, no, no. She just tried to leave, and I was stupid enough to leave her alone. I ran down the steps and went to the front of the penthouse.

"Elena?" I called hoping that she was just roaming around.

No response.

I looked in the kitchen, and the dining room, but still couldn't find her. I needed to find her, immediately. If I leave now, I can possibly find her wandering the streets nearby. I walked toward the elevator, and pressed the button to leave. I turned around to look at the house again and to my left, I caught a glimpse of a figure laying on the couch. I approached it slowly, realizing that it was Elena. She was asleep, laying on her side with her hands folded under her head. The elevator dinged and Elena's position shifted, but she remained asleep. I though about moving her, but I knew she wouldn't appreciate me touching her while she was unconscious. I took a blanket that was on one of the other couches and draped it over her. She was so defensive and hostile while she was awake, but she looked peaceful while she was asleep. God only knows what this girl has been through. Damn it. We need to find the bastards who did this her.

***DE***

*Elena POV*

All I saw was red. I sat up quickly and opened my eyes. I was blinded by the rays of sunlight coming through the window. I sat on the same white couch I remember falling asleep on last night. However, I don't remember seeing the blanket that was currently draped over me. I felt terrible. I was in such pain, and instead of my pain improving over time, it was getting worse. I stood up, looking around to see if anyone was here. In the dead silence, I heard commotion come from a distance. I walked toward the sounds, tip-toeing discreetly. I soon came upon the kitchen and was greeted by such pleasant smells. I saw Damon's back working at the stove. He was wearing jeans and a navy long sleeved shirt. I saw him turn around to grab an ingredient, but instead, his eyes landed on me.

"Morning," he greeted me with a smile. "I'm cooking some breakfast, but if you want, you can go upstairs to freshen up in your room." He told me while chopping some tomatoes. I discovered that I was still in my hospital clothes, and I have yet to take a shower.

"Thanks," I told him. "Where are the stairs?" I asked in confusion. I didn't know that these kinds of buildings had stairs in the apartments.

"They're just down the hall," I heard him respond while he continued to cook. The sound of the sizzling pan and the aroma that surrounded us made my stomach growl. I walked down the hall, using the wall for balance. My head was pounding and my legs felt like noodles. I reached the staircase and tried getting up, but with every step, I felt more and more exhausted. When I reached the end of the staircase, I went to the nearest room and hoped that it was mine. I walked in, and found a bathroom with a spa tub and a shower. I went to the shower and let the water run hot. Before undressing, I locked the room door first, and then locked the bathroom door. I took off my gown and stepped into the shower. The water was piping hot, but it felt good. I washed my hair with shampoo and conditioner and used a bar of soap to clean my body. When I was done, I dried myself off with a towel. While drying my hair, I saw myself in the full body mirror in front of me.

I was naked and exposed.

This how countless other men have seen me. I thought about the infinite amount of times men has laid their perverted hands on me. I thought about the things they said to me, the things they did to me, and the things they took from me. I looked at my face in the mirror and saw tears form in my brown eyes. I stood there staring at myself, and despite having just taken a shower, I felt dirty. I felt disgusting and revolted. My knees hit the tiles below me and I let me face fall to my chest. More and more tears fell from my eyes and my hair clung onto my neck. I began sobbing uncontrollably and looked up to see the mirror again. I couldn't bear to see myself. I ran to the toilet heaved into it. After sitting on the floor of the toilet for quite sometime, I went to the mirror again and looked at myself from head to toe. I thought I said it in my mind, but I actually said it aloud.

"I'm a monster..."

***DE***

*Damon POV*

8:32 AM

What is taking her so long? I have to go to work in exactly 28 minutes. I set aside an omelette for Elena and put it on the counter. I opened one of the drawers in the kitchen and took out a sticky note and a pen.

"Elena,

There is some breakfast on the counter. I left for work, but you can feel free to make yourself at home and do whatever you want here. Please, don't leave. I know you want to find your family, but it's not safe for you out there. I promise I will help you find them.

-Damon"

I stuck the note on the TV in the living room, hoping she'll come across it if she tries to watch. I walked to the elevator and left for work.

***DE***

I routinely showed the guard my badge and walked into the busy office. I inspected the room to see if anyone saw that I was late. Luckily, everyone was concentrated on their work and paid no attention to me. I saw Ric reading something at his desk, but he turned around and saw me enter the office. He got up and ran to me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Damon," he half whispered, and half shouted to me. I honestly had no idea what he was talking about.

"Good morning to you too," I told him and patted him on the back. I began walking to my desk and Ric followed next to me. Ric looked around to make sure there weren't any prying eyes or ears.

"We got a call from the hospital. They said that someone from the bureau took the girl that was found in the warehouse," he whispered to me. "Was that you?" He asked suspiciously. I knew if I lied to him, he'd see straight through me.

"Ric," I said defensively.

"I knew it!" He yelled and everyone looked at us. He lowered his voice again. "Damon, you do realize that you basically kidnapped this girl."

"You should have seen the way they treated her! It was for her own good. She's safe now," I told him.

_Shit_. If Ric knew, then Forbes knew. "Hey Ric, did you tell Fo-" I said before I was interrupted.

"Salvatore!" I heard Forbes's voice call me. I saw her at the small balcony on the higher level of the office. "Conference room, now!" she yelled and disappeared out of sight. I looked to Ric and he spoke defensively.

"I swear I didn't tell her anything," Ric said while raising his hands up in defense. I walked away and climbed a small set of stairs and went inside the conference room. Liz was sitting at the head of a long wooden table. _Shit_. She looked pissed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled to me. I was getting really sick of that phrase.

"I saved her," I answered softly. "The hospital was mistreating her, so I helped her." Her expression went from pissed to relieved.

"Where is she now? I pray to God that you haven't taken her to rehab, because we need to ask her questions for our ongoing investigation," she told me while standing up.

"No. She's safe now," I told her feeling confused. Liz was moving to the exit of the room and stuck her head out the door.

"Everyone, get to the conference room. We are all going to be briefed on our current investigation," she yelled out to all the employees. Shortly, the conference room was beginning to fill up with agents. I saw Ric come in and I sat in a chair next to him. As soon as everyone was inside, Liz turned off the lights and stood in the front of the room. She turned on the projector and a PowerPoint popped up. The title page was titled, "New York City Traffickers." There were two pictures showing three men. The first picture displayed one man that was significantly older than the other two. The older man had white scruff that matched the hair on his head. He looked a little chubby and his eyes were as black as night. The men in the next picture, were considerably younger and possessed the opposite qualities of older man. The first one was younger than the other, maybe in his early forties. He had a full head of brown hair, but had an occasional grey hair or two. His eyes were bluish-green. The young man next to him was probably his son. He had the same brown hair and eyes, but his most noticeable quality, were his dimples.

"Vladimir Koskov," Liz said while pointing to the picture of the older man. "He is the man behind the sex trafficking in the warehouse we raided the other day," she told everyone and looked around the dark room. I saw people shift in their seats looking uncomfortable and disturbed by the topic of our investigation. "He came from Belarus in 1999 and has been trafficking in the US since then. This man is notorious for never getting caught and working under the radar. We almost had him the other day, but a mole on the inside tipped him off." There was an awful silence in the room. Someone in the bureau was betraying the government and leaking confidential information. To make matters worse, was the time in which Vladimir was trafficking. Fifteen years. This man had been trafficking for fifteen years. Liz disturbed my thoughts and went back to the presentation. "These other two are the supposed 'big bosses,'" she said while making quotations with her fingers. "Mikael and Niklaus Mikaelson. Father and son," she told everyone. All I could think was, 'What the hell? Those are some weird ass names.' Liz kept talking, but I dozed off and thought about Elena. I looked at the pictures of the men and felt my fists clench. I began to think about the things these monsters did to her, and I felt queasy.

"Damon," I heard someone call and Ric nudged me in the shoulder. "Damon, where did you say the girl you saved was staying?" Liz asked me. I forgot that I left that detail out. I cleared my throat and answered her.

"She's uh... Staying at my house for now." Everybody looked baffled, even Ric. Liz got the attention of everybody by speaking again.

"Well, in the meantime, find everything you can about these three men. The clock is ticking and we need to catch them STAT," she said as she walked out of the room. Everybody began to leave, and as soon as I stepped out of the room, I saw Liz by the doorway. She grabbed my arm and pulled me into her office. "Why the hell is the girl at your house?" she asked me looking perplexed.

"I had no where else to take her," I answered quickly. I couldn't tell if she was mad or okay with it because her face remained emotionless.

"That's fine. I'm going to have you to bring her in for questioning, and we will need to put her in a safe house," she sighed. I nodded and began to walk out of her office. "Hey, rookie," I heard her call. I turned around and saw her smile. "Way to take initiative," she told me as I walked out of her office smiling ear to ear.

***DE***

*Elena POV*

Boredom.

Boredom is one of the worst things you can experience in life. Well... other than heroin withdrawal. I walked around the penthouse again, and I still managed to get lost after the hundredth time. I wore a loose, black t-shirt with baggy sweats because Damon unsurprisingly owned no clothing that actually fit me. I unexpectantly felt a pull in my stomach.

Here it comes again... The need, the craving, the desire...

The pain comes and goes, but when it comes, it hurts like hell. I laid on the couch clutching my forehead in hopes that the pain would go away. I began to sweat and my body felt like a billion pounds. The pain was intense, but the sadness I felt was worse. I missed my family. I missed going to school, having homework, and even being grounded. I began crying, staining the couch with tears. The elevator made a sound and I quickly got myself together. I wiped the sweat and tears off of my face and pretended to feel fine. The elevator opened and I saw Damon come through the door. He looked at me and smiled. He even looked as if he were relieved. I had to admit that I was actually glad that he was home. After a day filled with nothing, I was happy to see a friendly face.

"Hi," I told him pleasantly. My insides were on fire, but I kept a straight face.

"How was your day?" He asked me while walking inside the living room. He still kept his distance and sat away from me. What was I supposed to say? _My day sucked, I'm in constant pain and I need a hit of heroin?_

"I'm okay," I said, deciding against my first response. He smiled and stood up.

"I have some good news," he told me while walking away. I don't know why, but I got up and followed him. Maybe it was the loneliness, but I wasn't sure. Then I remembered.

_"We'll find your family... I'll help you,"_ I heard his voice in my head. I was getting excited. He had news about my family. I can go back and live the life I was supposed to.

Before I knew it, we were in a part of the house I hadn't been to... _His bedroom_. He didn't realize I'd followed him because he took off his shirt. I saw his bare, chiseled back, but I continued to stare. He turned around to reveal the front of his torso. His chest looked strong and hard, he had six pack, but it wasn't too muscular, it was subtle. I saw the 'V' that formed on the lining of his jeans and I looked to his face. Realizing that I was staring, I'm pretty sure I blushed and turned to walk away, but I heard him softly call my name. I looked back in his bedroom and saw that he had put a shirt on. "Yeah?" I answered him trying to recover from what I had just witnessed. I swallowed the spit that had produced in my mouth in order to form a sentence. "Umm.. Didn't you have some news to tell me about?" I asked him, completely forgetting about my family.

"So, it turns out that you don't need to stay here anymore," he began. "You can stay in one of the FBI's safe houses, but don't worry. You'll be safe there," he finished as he walked toward me. I didn't know what to say or how to feel. I mustered up the strength within me to form a response.

"Is it okay if I just stayed here for now?" I asked him as he came a little closer so that we were only inches apart. Then I saw it for the first time. It wasn't out of pity, it was a genuine smile.

"You can stay here for as long as you like," he replied as I returned a smile back to him.

* * *

**Wow. Extremely difficult to write. I literally spent this whole week, rewriting and revising, so I hope you review! This is the longest chapter I've written and it is crucial to the formation of the plot. I'm so sorry that it took me a week to update. I've been so busy with school and finals, so I haven't really spent that much time writing. I just have to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed. Please continue to do so. I love hearing your opinions! I hope to update sometime this week, but sometimes life gets in the way. Once again. THANK YOU ALL. **

**Again, I apologize for any typos. **


	5. Animal I Have Become

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing!

Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace

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5. Animal I Have Become

*Elena POV*

2 weeks.

Okay, so far so good. The first week was the worst. There wasn't a moment where I didn't think about _it_. Now, the pain is bearable, but there is still something else I need. Something I crave more than heroin.

I've been staying with Damon for two weeks because I was hoping that he could help me find my family. I've asked him politely about them every time he came home, but I get the same response every time.

_"I'm doing my best, Elena. I've been busy, so I'll look into it when I have the time."_

How was it possible that someone who worked for the FBI couldn't find the whereabouts of average American citizens? He's been acting really strange after the night I asked him if I could stay. That night, he looked at me like no one has looked at me before... Or at least I though so.

I saw rays of sunlight creeping through my room. I got out of bed and walked to the floor to ceiling window in the back of my bedroom. The orange sun was rising over the horizon. I looked further into the distance and saw that beautiful, tall building that towered over all the others. I looked at the clock on my night stand and realized that Damon was about to leave soon. I quickly brushed my teeth and hair, and got ready for the uneventful day ahead of me. I ran downstairs hoping to catch Damon to see if he had any news on my family. I heard the elevator ding and I saw Damon about to enter.

"Hey!" I called to Damon. He stepped out of the elevator while holding his leg out to prevent it from closing behind him.

"Yeah, what's up?" He told me looking urgent.

"Umm.." I started. "I was wondering if you found anything about where my family is." Damon dropped his head and avoided my gaze.

"Elena, I told you-"

"It's been two weeks. I've been waiting for two weeks!" I yelled without wanting to, but I couldn't help it. Damon looked up and I saw his blue eyes bury into mine. He clenched his jaw and I saw him about to speak, but I stopped him. "You work for the FBI, for goodness sake! How could you not find a single thing about them?" My throat began to feel sore and I knew I was yelling loud because my voice echoed through the penthouse. Damon's cheeks began to turn red and I thought he was going to explode.

"Well, I'm so sorry, Elena," he said in the most sarcastic and douchey tone. "I have better things to do, like saving the world! I don't have time to something as minuscule as looking up a few names." He stepped into the elevator as I felt tears build up in my eyes. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to work and actually be useful to the world." He smirked and the elevator doors closed. By the time I heard the elevator move, I was in tears. Why was he being like this? Was it necessary for him to act this way toward me? I ran back to my room and washed my face in the bathroom. I looked up from the sink to see myself in the mirror.

Screw it. If Damon wasn't going to help me, I'll find my family on my own terms.

***DE***

*Damon POV*

What the hell just happened? Why am I pushing her away? It had something to do with the night she asked if she could stay. I don't know why, but I felt something I haven't felt in a while. I put that feeling aside from my thoughts and became distant toward her, but why? Worst of all, she thinks her family is still alive. I have no choice but to keep it from her in order to keep her safe. Vladimir, Mikael, and Klaus are still out there and I can't risk Elena getting hurt. I walked into the FBI office, ready to start my hectic day.

***DE***

The day was filled with continuous meetings, and looking for anything to do with the trafficking trio. Ric made up the 'trafficking trio' name during one of today's meetings. I found it pretty clever. I got into my car, ready to go home, but a thought came across my mind.

_She was so beautiful. Her hair was so soft and smelled slightly like jasmine. She had olive skin that was soft and smooth. Her body was petite and delicate. She was young and innocent, the kind of girl that high school boys would always fight over.  
There was also a man. He was old and disgusting. The man was putting his filthy hands all over the pure girl. His hands ran along the insides of her thighs. She was screaming and crying, but she couldn't do anything. She was helpless. He ripped her clothes off and pulled his pants down. He trapped her in his arms and turned her around, so her back was toward him. With one swift movement he-_

My fists crashed against the steering wheel in front of me. Fuck! Why did I have to think of that? I need to find the fuckers that could have done this to Elena. Instead of going home, I headed toward the warehouse where I found Elena. Criminals usually had the idiotic tendency to return to the scene of the crime.

***DE***

*Elena POV*

The cab halted to a stop at the familiar building. I gave him a few bills that I found laying around the penthouse. I got out of the car and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe I came here. I walked toward the building and went to the busted entrance. I stood by the door frame, looking inside of the building that stood in front of me. I was shaking. The familiar, green, rusty door laid on the floor, providing me with clear entry to the building. I closed my eyes tightly and sighed deeply. I walked in, and made my way through the building. I walked to the hall with a series of rooms and curtains. I continued along the hallway and went to a room I visited often during my time in this prison. It was Vlad's office. I opened the door and was shocked by what I saw inside. The room was exactly how I remembered it. There was a four-post bed in one corner and a desk in the other. I knew Vlad kept money inside the desk, so I went toward it. I opened the drawer. It was completely empty. Hoping my eyes were just playing tricks on me, I looked away and looked inside the drawer again. Still nothing. My body became hot with anger. I pulled at the drawer forcefully. It became unhinged and fell to the floor. I looked at the drawer on the ground, and was shocked to see that something was inside. I bent down to pick up the syringe. I began sweating and clenched the needle tighter in my palm. It's like the yellow liquid was calling my name. "No," I said aloud. "I can't do this anymore. It's been two weeks." I was about to put the syringe down, but something stopped me. I brought it closer to my face and just stared at it. The feeling you get from shooting heroin is indescribable. It was peaceful. Whenever I shot heroin, it was the most peaceful time I ever had in this place. I needed peace. I needed to feel safe again, but I didn't know how.  
Luckily, I didn't need pressure to find a vein. I felt a slight pinch as I stuck the needle in my wrist. I pushed the liquid inside me slowly. The feeling immediately struck me. It felt like I was floating. I walked out of the building in a state of bliss. It was dark, but I saw light. I began walking, but had no idea where I was going. I felt good. If I really believed it, I think I was even happy. I was walking along the sidewalk until a black car stopped next to me. There was no one around us and we were underneath an overpass. The car's window rolled down and I saw a man. I think he was African American. Or was he Mexican? Hell, he might've even been Asian, but I didn't care.

"Hey baby, you looking for a job?" The man called out to me. I continued to walk, but the man kept driving next to me at the same pace. I thought about why I actually came here. I needed money to find my family. I had a plan to take a plane to Virginia and find my family in Mystic Falls. A couple of hundred bucks can get me there, and this man could potentially give it to me. I don't know what the hell brought me to do it, maybe it was the heroin or the need to find my family, but I approached the car and bent over to stick my head through the driver's window.

"What kind of service were you looking for?" I asked him seductively. My stomach did flips and I felt sick. I felt like an animal. I was willing to do literally anything to get some money. The man before me smiled and licked his lips. He was hideous. He had messy facial hair and a huge nose. His teeth were yellowed and very crooked.

"The full package, honey," he said while stroking my cheek. As if his hand were fire, I jolted back immediately. I backed away, regretting my decision in selling my body. The car's engine stopped and and the man got out. "What's wrong, baby?" He asked while approaching me. My back hit the wall of the overpass as he was close, too close. I closed my eyes, trying to pull myself together. I needed to find my family, now.

I opened my eyes and saw the horrendous man. "Sorry, honey, I just like to play hard to get," I told him. I knew that in order to get money, sometimes you had to make sacrifices. I stroked his chest and he came even closer and pinned me against the wall.

"How much do you charge?" His hot breath radiated off of my neck. He smelled like smoke mixed with god knows what other horrid scent. I had to think before I spoke. I needed at least $600. Vlad used to give me away for $500 an hour, so I took it up a notch.

"I'll give you $600 for an hour and a half" I breathed against his bald head. He was kissing my neck and I felt like vomiting all over him.

He came face to face with me and smiled his ugly smile. "You have yourself a deal, beautiful," he said. He grabbed my hand forcefully and led me to his car to have his way with me.

***DE***

*Damon POV*

That was a bust. The warehouse was completely empty, as suspected. I guess I have no choice, but to go home. I was on my way home, and saw what I usually saw in this part of the city. There were prostitutes selling themselves, obvious drug deals, and gang meetings. I was going under an underpass and saw yet another prostitute making business. As I was passing by, I realized that I knew the girl that was selling her body. I stopped the car and got out. I couldn't see the girl's face, but I knew her somehow. I got out of the car, and put one hand over the gun in my belt. The girl looked up and saw me. Oh my god, It was her.

"Elena?" I asked. I knew she saw me, but she ignored my presence. The man beside her looked confused, but continued to lead her to his car. "Elena!" I yelled. That man had his hands all over her, but he let go and started to walk to me.

"Look dude, I don't know who the hell Elena is, but you need to get the fuck out of here," he warned. I took my gun out of my belt and pointed it to the man. "Whoa! What the fuck? Who are you?" He said while putting his hands up. Out of nowhere, Elena stepped in my line of fire.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Damon?" She yelled while looking toward me. She was a mess. Her eyes were swollen and she looked tired.

"What the hell do _you_ think _you're_ doing?" I answered back. I didn't even realize that the man ran inside his car and drove off. I put my gun back in my belt, waiting for Elena's response. "Hmm?" I asked once more, hoping she would give me a reasonable explanation.

"Screw you," she muttered under her breath.

"Get in the car, Elena." I saw her getting red. I knew she was angry. She ran toward me while throwing her fist to my face. I caught her hand about one inch from hitting me. "Get your ass in the car before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you in myself," I whispered to her. Our faces were impossibly close and I felt her breath on me. She pulled free from my grasp and walked to the car. I followed after her and we rode off in an awkward, long drive home.

***DE***

The elevator stopped at the penthouse. Elena stepped out and headed toward her room. I followed after her and before she reached the staircase, I blocked her path. "What on earth were you thinking?" I asked her. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. On her wrist, I caught a glimpse of a red patch that looked a lot like an injection.

"Since you wouldn't help me find my family, I took matters into my own hands," she told me firmly. I felt bad, knowing the reality of where her family was. I sighed and looked at her. God, she was beautiful. Even though she didn't look her best, she was unbelievably beautiful.

"Elena," I breathed. "There are other ways to make money. Doing that is not-"

"It is the only way, Damon!" She interrupted me. I saw tears forming in her eyes and I felt a knot grow in my stomach. "It's the only thing I know how to do," her voice broke. "There is no other way, because in reality, I'm useless. I'm broken. Nobody would want a useless, and broken person." She pushed me out of her way and ran to her bedroom. I wish I could've said it to her, but I muttered it in her absence instead.

"You're not useless, or broken."

* * *

**Hey guys,**

**I just want to thank you guys again for all of the reviews! You're all amazing. I know these past chapters haven't been all that great, but I'm trying to build up the plot. I hope you guys continue to support me and continue to read. Again, please review to give me some inspiration. I've had a lack in inspiration lately, so please, review. Thanks!**

**I apologize for the short chapter. More action should be coming soon ;)**


	6. Wait

**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing, but I would love to own Damon ;)

Wait-M83

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6. Wait

*Damon POV*

I am such an ass.

Why am I not doing anything?

A young, beautiful girl is upstairs crying her guts out and it's all my fault. She's just so helpless. What should I do? Should I tell her about her family? I walked to the living room and took my suitcase from the couch. I made my way toward the kitchen and set my suitcase on the counter. There was a manila folder labeled, "Elena Marie Gilbert." I removed it from the suitcase and opened it. I had hoped that the information on the report changed, but they didn't. It still said the same words that I hated so much.

_Kin: none living_

I was about to close the folder once more until I saw something else. There were pictures. I must have missed it the first time I looked through the folder. There were four people in one photo. There was a beautiful woman probably in her mid-thirties. There was a man next to her that looked the same age. Her parents. In front of them were two very small children, probably around 10 or 11. There was a small boy with a very large smile and next to him, was a little girl. It was Elena. She was smiling widely with a few teeth missing and held onto a small teddy bear with a bow on its chest. I couldn't help but smile at how innocent and naive she looked. Hoping to see more pleasant photos of her family, I turned to the next photo. I felt my stomach convulse as I looked at the next few pictures. There was blood everywhere. Her parents that I saw together were brutally murdered. There were pictures of their crime scene. They both sustained countless stab wounds to their back, stomach, chest, neck and pretty much everywhere. I continued to flip through the photos and saw different ones from different angles and different perspectives. About to throw up, I went back to the first photo and hid all the others behind it. I looked at the photo again and noticed that her brother was missing. There were no reports of her brother at the crime scene, but why? Fuck this. I can't think about this right now. I threw the folder in my suitcase and left it on the counter. I went to my room and paced the floor for about a hundred times. Finally, I decided to clear my mind by taking a shower. I stepped into the hot steam and closed my eyes, but all I saw were visions of the bloody photos in that folder.

***DE***

*Elena POV*

The oblivion is killing me. Where is my family? I need to know now. I laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I savored the short time I had with the heroin flowing through my veins. The fact that I probably had to go through withdrawals again did not bother me. It was totally worth it. I would do it all over again if I could. I felt my eyelids getting heavy, so I closed my eyes for a moment. I was at peace for just a little while.

***DE***

_The subtle rays of sunlight hit my face and woke me up. Hoping what I had just endured was a nightmare, I began to sit up, but was struck by reality. I was tied to a four-post bed. I was naked. I began pulling my arms and legs from the posts, but I couldn't do anything. The door opened and I froze. The man standing at the door was fat, old, and hideous. He smiled and his crooked yellow teeth protruded from his lips. "Did you enjoy last night?" he asked in the familiar Russian accent. I pulled harder at the posts. I needed to get out. I couldn't think about anything else. I just needed to get out. I screamed and fought, but I was helpless. I screamed louder, but was silenced as I felt a stinging sensation across my face. "Shut up!" he yelled to me. I heeded his command and was silent. "Good girl. Now, if I untie you, will you promise not to do anything stupid?" he asked with a disgusting smile. I quickly nodded fearing what came next. He took out a pocket knife and untied my ankles first, and then my wrists. I sat up in the corner of the bed and hid my chest and crossed my legs. He took a few steps back from the bed and stared at me. He was watching me. After what seemed like an eternity, the man finally spoke. "Come here," he began. "Come stand next to me." I looked around to see if there was a blanket, pillow, or anything I can cover myself with, but there was absolutely nothing on the bed. "Get up, Rab!" He yelled and I immediately jumped up. I had no idea what he said, but I was too scared to do anything. I slid from the corner of the bed all the way to the edge, and stood up. I covered my chest and crossed my legs again because I didn't want this disgusting man to look at my naked body. He approached me and put his face unbelievably close to mine. He was so close that I smelled the tobacco and cigarettes in his breath. The man circled around me while I stood in place. He made two full circles around my body and stopped in front of me. "Put your hands on your sides and keep your legs straight," he commanded. I froze. I didn't want him to see me like this, I wouldn't allow him to. "What did I say, Rab?" He raised his voice and spat a little bit on my face. I stood my ground and disobeyed him. "Do what I say or else you will have a really bad time, Rab," he whispered. _

_"Go to hell," I whispered back. The man took a few steps away from me. He looked shocked at first, but then gave me an evil smile. _

_"You little bitch!" He yelled while punching me so hard I fell to the floor. At this point, I didn't care that I was naked anymore. I got up and ran for the door. I was halfway there, but was stopped by him pulling my hair. He pulled me to the ground and climbed on top of me. He slapped me again and pulled out the pocket knife, again. Tears began to fall from my eyes._

_"No," I begged. "Please.. I'm sorry. Please, let me go. Please.." I continued to beg until my pleas turned into screams. He flipped me onto my stomach and I felt an excruciating pain. He had made a large incision across my back. He lifted me off the floor and threw my back against the bed. The bed was instantly covered in my blood. _

_"That is what happens when you misbehave, Rab," he told me as he approached the bed. _

_"What does that even mean? Rab?" I asked trying to buy myself some time._

_"Slave," he said while coming closer. I spat in his face and tried to get up, but he pushed my back on the bed and climbed on top of me again. He began to unbuckle his belt while I continued to fight. I screamed, I yelled, I pushed, I punched, but nothing worked. I gave up. I lost all my strength and became helpless underneath him. He positioned himself at my entrance and thrusted inside of me. I was still sore, so I cried in agony. It hurt so much. He moved faster and faster, and as he quickened his pace, I felt sick. I thought sex was supposed to be pleasurable. I never thought it would be like this. This is not how it's supposed to be._

I woke up in complete darkness. I looked at my night stand and it was 2:00 in the morning. I must have fallen asleep. I put on one of Damon's sweaters and went downstairs to get a drink of water. I tripped a couple of times and almost fell down the stairs due to the darkness. When I finally reached the kitchen, I tried to find a light. I stuck my arms out to help guide myself. I was searching the kitchen for and light switch, and I knocked something off the counter. There was a loud bang that echoed through out the penthouse. "Shoot," I whispered to myself. While searching for a little while longer, I finally found the light switch. It was inconveniently located next to the sink. When the lights flicked on, I saw a bunch of folders and papers scattered all over the floor. "Dang it," I whispered. Damon was going to kill me if he saw what I had done to his suitcase. It was broken, the hinges came off and it was destroyed. I picked up all of the papers and folders, but something caught my eye. I picked up a folder that had _my_ name on it. I put the folder aside and put everything back inside Damon's broken suitcase. I put the suitcase back on the counter and grabbed _my_ folder. I put it on the counter and just stared at it. I knew that I am not supposed to see the contents of that folder, but I didn't care. I opened it up and saw a packet that had a lot of writing on it. I was not in the mood to read all of that, so I put it aside. Behind the packet, I saw a photo. I saw my mom, dad, Jeremy and myself. We were so happy. I remember this day so vividly. I saw my mother, she was beautiful and young. My father was handsome with a few grey hairs. I stroked their faces as if they were real. I saw my little brother, Jeremy. I fought with him all the time, but I loved him anyway. I savored the picture, hoping to find more behind it. I flipped the picture to the back and was horrified. Blood was everywhere to be found. There was a man and women in the picture, but I couldn't quite make out the faces due to the camera angle. I have no idea why I did it, but I flipped to the next photo, and for a second, all of the air in the world disappeared. I gasped and tried to breath, but I couldn't. I forgot how to inhale and exhale. _My parents. _I quickly flipped through all the pictures, and felt doubtful. It can't be them, It just looked like them. I took the packet I had set aside and skimmed it quickly.

_Kin: none living_

"No," I whispered as my hands covered my mouth. I felt my eyebrows furrow, and shook my head. "No, no, no, no," I continued. Tears fell from my face. I felt nauseous, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, I couldn't speak. I tried to breathe, but all I managed to do was take quick, short breaths. "No, no, no, no," I kept repeating as I shook my head in denial. I looked at the counter, at the photos of my dead parents. "No, no. Mommy! Daddy! Jeremy!" I cried. "No, no, no." I couldn't stop. It hurt. God, it hurt so much. I just wanted it to stop. I looked at the photos again and something at the corner of the counter caught my eye. A knife. Covered in tears, I walked to the counter and took the knife. It hurt so much, that I was willing to do anything to make it all go away...

***DE***

*Damon POV*

I opened my eyes as I heard a loud crash. I have no idea if that came from outside my room, or if it was just my imagination. I took my phone out from underneath my pillow and it was 2:00 in the morning. I closed my eyes again, and thought about Elena. I can't believe I lied to her. I am giving her false hope. I sighed and was back on the verge of sleep.

Shit. The folder.

I got up and put a shirt on. I made my way to the kitchen to hide the folder. If Elena found that folder, she would be crushed, she would be beyond fixable, she would be-

_Too Late._

I saw the folder and photos of her dead parents spread out all over the counter top. She was standing in the middle of the kitchen and was in tears. She looked like she had gone through hell. Who am I kidding, she's been through something worse than hell. I didn't realized it at first, but she had a knife pressed against her wrist. She was going to kill herself.

"Elena," I said softly, not wanting to startle her. She turned to face me, eyes wide with terror.

"Don't take another step," she said with her voice raised. I stood in place, fearing she would harm herself.

"Elena," I began. I needed to get that knife out of her hand

"Please!" She yelled. "Pl- Please just... be quiet," she told me. She was scared. I could see it in her eyes.

"Elena, there is another way. You do not have to do this to yourself," I began. She didn't notice it at first, but I was taking very small steps toward her.

"Stop!" She yelled. She pressed the knife harder on her wrists until she drew blood. I stopped moving and stepped back. "You lied to me," she said so softly, that I barely heard her. Her bottom lip was quivering. "You told me you were going to help me find my parents, when you knew this whole time that they were dead!" She yelled while taking unsteady breaths. "How dare you!" she yelled while crying. She was burying the knife deeper into her wrist.

"Wait!" I yelled. She wanted to die, but I wasn't going to let her, _I didn't want her to_. "Wait," I said more softly. To my surprise she actually listened and looked at me. "Elena, you are young. You have a future ahead of yourself. You have a whole world waiting for you," I told her. I was gaining more confidence in her when she loosened her grip on the knife. "Yes, I lied to you, yes, I gave you false hope, and yes," I paused. "...your parents are dead," she began crying even more. I didn't think it was possible for someone to cry that much. "…but Elena," I began once more. "Would your parents want this for you? Would your brother want this for you? Would your family not want you to live out your whole life?" I thought I had gotten through to her, but she still held on to the knife. She continued to look at me, but she seemed like she was frozen in time. Taking a risk, I walked to her slowly and wrapped my hands around her hand that was holding the knife. She loosened her grip and let go of the knife. Quickly, I took the knife out of her hands and hid it in a drawer. Her wrist was still bleeding, so I made my way to her and gently grabbed her wrist. She gasped and pulled away.

"Don't touch me," she yelled. She came at me and threw a punch to my chest. She was strong, but I was unaffected. She stepped back and continued to look at me with anger. She came at me again and slapped me in the face. I was stunned by the singing sensation burning in my face. She continued to punch and push me, but I let her because she had the right to be angry. When she threw her last punch, I could tell she was exhausted because she stumbled into my arms while she fought me. I caught her, and she nearly fell to the ground. "Let go of me!" she yelled. She continued to fight me until we were both on the ground. "Don't touch me! Let go of me!" she repeated. I listened to her in the beginning, but I stopped. I wrapped my arms around her, but she continued to fight and yell. We were on the kitchen floor while I waited for her to lose her energy. She continued to fight me weakly, but I kept a strong, yet gentle grip on her. Suddenly, her punches weakened, then they ceased, then she rested on my chest. "They're gone, Damon," she whispered to me. "They're gone."

"I know…" I told her as I felt her arms go around my torso.

* * *

**First of all, I want to apologize to all of you. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. I had some family problems, but I assure you, I am 100% committed to this ****fan fiction; it is my baby. **

**So… What did you guys think of this chapter. Damon seems to always be at the right place at the right time, huh? **

**Thank you for all your reviews and please review more! There's nothing better than to see that people like my story so much that they take the time to review. There's more to come soon, so stay in tune ;)**

**P.S.:I forgot that I have songs I use for inspiration and I put them up and the beginning of each chapter. This whole fic inspired me because of Plumb's song, In My Arms. Check out the songs that I put up because they go with the story and chapters really well :)**


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